CFS to Build Radiation-Proof Chips for Fusion Reactors With $85 Million Grant

Commonwealth Fusion Systems announced Thursday that it has secured an $85 million federal award to develop specialized semiconductors for fusion power plants. The funding, issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce under the CHIPS Act, includes a government equity stake in the company. CFS stated the money will strengthen research and development while expanding domestic manufacturing capacity for these critical components.

The award arrives as fusion startups race to complete their first demonstration machines. CFS aims to activate its Sparc reactor next year. However, a single reactor serves mainly as a proof point. Companies hoping to build dozens of commercial plants need more durable power electronics and a dependable supply chain.

Brandon Sorbom, co-founder and chief science officer at CFS, wrote in a blog post that the funding supports a more capable and economical power plant. He added that the initiative strengthens the U.S. supply chain required to build these facilities.

The $85 million will fund five specific initiatives. The first targets the advancement of silicon carbide power electronics. These semiconductors manage high voltages and appear in LEDs, electric vehicles, cell phone base stations, and data centers. In fusion machines, they handle intense bursts of electricity that drive the superconducting magnets confining plasma.

CFS also plans to develop next-generation radio-frequency power generators used to heat fusion fuel. A third effort focuses on advanced electronics for faster reactor control. These components are hardened against radiation to extend their lifespan inside a power plant, which reduces operating costs.

The final initiative involves adapting AI hardware, such as GPUs and TPUs, for use in power plants. Sorbom said the funding helps improve the U.S. chip and power electronics industries at the same time it accelerates fusion energy's progress toward the electrical grid.